Brokers said continued selling pressure on weak GDP projections and absence of any cues from Asian markets following closure for Lunar New Year holidays influenced the market.

They said steady inflow of weak quarter earnings by some companies and decline in auto sales number first time in a decade this January further influenced the trading sentiment.

Bucking the trend, state-run company stocks such as MMTC and Hindustan Copper on hopes of stake sales by the government amid a better trend in European markets saved the market from any major fall, they added.